A not too Merry Christmas
by 99 CDN
Summary: Kate's christmas shatters in a million icicles when she finds her niece and her class kinapped by their busdriver, is their more to the story then that or is it just like it seems? And can Gibbs make her christmas any better then it already is? R&R x0x
1. Ice Castles and Tinsel

Kate walked into work on a gorgeous winter's day, where all the trees were covered in white, the snow fell in huge flakes giving the effect that DC was a giant snow globe. Around every corner were carolers and good-doers either raising money for the children's hospital or raising money for the orphanages; and of course being the kind-hearted agent she was she donated to each and every fundraiser.

Her wallet was sparsely empty but her heart was warm.

She pulled the doors open and was met with the most cheery lobby she had ever seen. As she loosened the bright colorful scarf that was wrapped tightly around her delicate ivory throat; Barney the security guard who was currently wearing a bring Santa hat with his security uniform came up to her and gave her a candy cane. She smiled brightly and brought him in a hug.

"Merry Christmas Barney," she whispered happily as she withdrew herself and went on the task to remove her holster, and step through the scan.

A laser of sorts x-rayed her body sending an image of her squelletal self on the computer on the other side of the counter. She placed her delicate hand on the hand scanner and waited patiently as it scanned her palm and prints. Next came her favorite part; she turned around and was met with two tunnel-like little tubes on which she gently placed her eyes in and watched as it scanned her corneas for Identification. The machine beeped her I.D and she walked out of it and gathered her badge and holster at the bottom of the conveyor belt.

"Merry Christmas Katie," Barney said back as she walked backwards into the lobby to keep eye contact with him.

"I wish you all the peace Barn," she finished and head through the elevator doors with a handful of people. She looked around her and smiled warmly at the array of festive colors that filled the normally boring metal box. Looking through her big shoulder bag one more time she smiled her satisfaction and pressed the '7' on the control panel. Right when the doors were about to close an arm jetted the doors open and Tony stepped into the already stuffed elevator. Upon seeing Kate he squeezed and pushed to the back were he was basically attached to her.

"Good morning Kate," He said as the elevator doors shut and the box started its journey upwards towards the many offices of NCIS.

"Good morning to you too Tony and Merry Christmas," she replied politely bringing the strap to her bag higher on her shoulder in means of hiding its contents.

"Whatcha got in the bag Katie?" Tony said deviously as he took off his mittens and stuffed them in the pockets to his heavy winter coat. He placed an index at the opening of the bag and tugged a little to reveal brightly covered packages. "Presents!" He gapped as the contents of the elevator turned towards the couple in slight annoyance.

"No Tony not right now," she exclaimed as the made there way out of the tin can they were traveling in and into the bullpen where McGee was already occupying fiddling with his computer in the corner.

"Oh please Kate, you give me mine and give you yours," he pleaded has he went in front of her and brought his hands together in a pleading position.

"No, you'll have to wait until tonight like everybody else," She went to her desk and took off her cashmere coat to reveal a sparkling cranberry-colored sweater that fit perfectly and shaped her in all the right places, and a pair of beige cords that ended at the tip of her black-heeled shoes. She placed her coat, hat and scarf on the coat hanger behind her desk and turned on her computer. Waiting for it to start up she walked over to the big window and placed the many presents under the Christmas tree that she, Abby, McGee and Tony got and decorated just yesterday. After placing her gifts amongst the many others she back-tracked her way to her desk and accessed her e-mail.

As it loaded she began to sing softly _Silent Night._

"Wow Kate you have a nice voice, have you ever thought in becoming a singer?" McGee said as he too went to place his presents under the tree.

Both Kate and Tony turned towards him.

"I guess once, along with my dream of becoming a princess and living in the oce castle in Town Square," Kate said a little quietly as she, Tony and McGee gathered beside the tree and looked out the window towards Town Square where Kate's castle stood, gleaming in ice.

They stood in silence just staring at it that they didn't even notice the elevator 'ding' to release Gibbs.

"You think Gibbs ever had a dream like yours Kate?" Tony asked as Kate placed a hand against the cold windowsill.

"Living in an ice castle, I don't think so Tony, more like an ice boat or the basement of the Ice Castle," she replied wittily.

Gibbs stood directly behind them coffee in hand as he smirked at the fact that they were talking about him and that they didn't even realize it.

"The basement to the Ice Castle Katie?" he asked amused.

All three of them didn't move, they stopped breathing altogether in fright.

"H…hi boss," Tony said as he briskly walked over to his desk and busied himself as well as McGee as he somehow found a disarrayed tinsel on the tree and he went to fix it on the adjacent side of the tree.

"I…didn't mean basement per say, what I meant was…I guess that's pretty much what I meant," she sighed defeated as she hung her head in slight embarrassment. Gibbs smiled and leaned down a little.

"Living in the basement of your Ice Castle wouldn't be so bad," he whispered low enough for her to hear.

He eyes widened in surprise as he chuckled and made his way to the ringing phone on his desk.

Kate stood there dazed for a moment. _Had Gibbs just flirted with her? _She thought as once again she stood at the window peering down.

Gibbs watched Kate look outside once more as he tried to listen to the message The Director was telling him, but found it difficult when the secret passion of his life was standing directly in front of him dazed and in her own little world.

But he snapped back to reality and hung up the phone with force greater then any he showed before.

"Tony gas up the truck, Kate the equipment, McGee get your ass in the truck," he barked causing Kate to come out of her reverie as his harsh tones penetrated her.

"Yup, too good to be true," she said very quietly, she ran to her desk clipped her holster to the rim of her pants and grabbed her coat, scarf and hat from the stand and dashed like the others towards the elevator.


	2. Snow Banks and Bridges

"Are you going to tell us what's going on Gibbs?" Kate said as she sat squished between, their fearless leader and Tony in which was staring at Gibbs himself in a less then petrified state.

"A class full of kids are missing, their bus hadn't arrived at the school," Was all he said. He made a sharp turn across the freeway and went into a lane occupied by trucks and buses.

"No offense boss but are we suppose to take care of cases involving Militia only?" Tony inquired as Gibbs took his eyes off the road and stared through slits at Tony. "Okay my bad," Tony said as he looked at his boss in the eyes, but he still hadn't looked back at the road.

"Gibbs, the road…GIBBS!" Kate hollered as he was about to go through a red and into oncoming traffic. Gibbs's reaction caused the whole truck to jolt forward. Kate hit her head on the dashboard, Tony on the window, Gibbs himself slammed against the steering wheel and McGee crashed against the partition behind them and falling backwards into the equipment.

Gibbs pulled over groggily onto the side of the road and tumbled out dizzy. The others followed suit, rubbing their heads and moaning in sheer pain. Kate leaned against the driver's door as she stared at the sky.

"What was that for, you could have killed us all!" Tony yelled at Gibbs as he looked at his reddened forehead in the side mirrors of the truck.

"Sorry my mind was elsewhere,"

"Gibbs, this isn't like you, you would never endanger us, what has gotten into you?" Kate asked softly as she looked at her boss with eyes of kindness.

"It's the kids,"

"What about them? We'll find them Gibbs we always do,"

"One of them-" he paused not knowing how to continue or if he should.

"Spit it out Gibbs, you are frightening me, you never act like this, not once you clipped DiNozzo, back talked me, or bossed McGee around uselessly," Kate said as she approached him and laid a hand gently on his shoulder.

"Yah that goes for me too Gibbs, it's sad to admit but I kinda miss the hitting, we're family what's biting you," Tony said as he too came up to him and placed a hand on his free shoulder.

"It's for the best if I keep it to myself," he said and shoved off both Kate's and Tony's hands from his shoulder and he re-entered the truck.

McGee came stumbling out of the back and joined them.

"What's with Gibbs?" he asked holding onto Kate's arm for support.

"No clue McGeek, but he's out of character," Tony said as he kicked an ice ball with the toe of his boot under the truck.

Kate's hip started to vibrate and she slid her jacket open a little and brought it up to ear.

"Todd," she said into the device.

"_Katie is that you?"_

"Mark? Yes it's me what's wrong?"

"_It's Chrissy,"_

"Whoa whoa, slow down Mark, what's happened to Chrissy?"

Tony and McGee both stared at Kate as she answered her phone, something was wrong they knew when she her eyes began to fog up with tears, and her voice clipped to angry in a milli-second.

Kate hung up the phone and threw it over the side of the bridge in an act of anger. She turned around and opened the truck door wide open.

"YOU BASTARD, YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME MY NIECE WAS ON THAT MISSING BUS, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING!" she yelled at him, he stared at her, her eyes were brimming with unshed tears and her voice was near hysterical as she gripped the lapels of his jacket in a vice-like grip.

"I didn't want your judgment clouded," he snapped and her mouth hung open in disbelief, and her grip lessened.

"YOU DIDN'T WANT WHAT! YOU INTENDED THAT I HANDLE THE DISAPEARANCE OF MY NIECE LIKE A NORMAL EVENT, WELL GUESS WHAT LEROY JETHRO GIBBS WE'RE ALL NOT HEARTLESS BASTARDS LIKE YOU ARE, WE HAVE FEELINGS!" she hollered as more tears slid down her rosy cheeks.

Gibbs sighed and he went to put his hand on her shoulder when she shoved him forcibly back against the truck.

"Don't you dare touch me!" she spat as she went towards the back of the truck and ripped the doors apart in rage. She took her pack and marched down the highway towards NCIS in the dead of winter.

"Way to go Gibbs, you scored big points there," Tony snapped as he followed suit of what Kate did and went towards the back to grab his pack and run up the road to join a fuming Kate.

Gibbs sighed as he looked towards McGee who was staring at him with the most ferocious glare ever.

"Problem McGee?" Gibbs barked, he was pissed, he had hurt the one person he cared about in the world more then his job, and this time he doubted he would ever make things better.

"You know what? Yes I do Gibbs, I always use to look up to you, and despite the shitty jobs you gave me you were always my hero, but now that I get a good look at you you're nothing but a selfish cold-hearted bastard. Merry Christmas!" He jogged to the back and got his pack and ran to the couple trudging down the freeway and left Gibbs on the side of the road to think.

"Are you okay Kate?" Tony asked as he threw his arm around her shoulder for both heat and comfort.

"My niece is missing and my bastard of a boss decided to keep that little bit of information from me, and I had to hear it from my brother and his wife, so no Tony I'm not okay," she hollered over the blazing blizzard that had just started. McGee joined them a little out of breath and he too slung his arm around her shoulder. She smiled a small smile of thanks as they all trudged their way fast towards NCIS where they could do their own investigation and find her little niece.

Gibbs stared straight ahead as thoughts ran through his usually thick brain. _They're right, I am a selfish bastard, I couldn't even bring myself to tell Kate about her niece, and instead of coming up with a good excuse I have to open my mouth and tell her it would have affected her judgment. _He thought bitterly. In a swift movement he punched the steering wheel and the horn blared in an angry noise.

He sat there staring at the dent in the steering wheel and looked in the rear view mirror for any chance that they had forgiven him, but no such chance was gratified. He sighed, started the car and pulled away towards NCIS himself, the least he could do is give them a ride. What was the harm in that?

**Author's Note: **_Hey it's me again, just wanted to start things off with a little angst, normally it's not something I do but eh. Love it, hate it, loath it, I want to hear it all._


	3. Appologies and Forgivenessor maybe not

**Disclaimer: **_I'm treading the water with a little angst, yet I guess you could say that the waters will clear sooner or later._

Gibbs drove the truck very slowly behind his team in which had taken the initiative to ignore. He wouldn't have expected less for the way he had treated Kate, but deep down he was hopping that by some small means he could improve their relationships. It had seemed noticeable from The Director that the team was more and more slowly drifting away from him, it was just now that he fully noticed it and it was the last thing he wanted.

"Come on, get in the truck we'll get there faster," Gibbs said as he rolled down the winter and a handful of flakes drifted into the truck and sprayed all over his silver hair.

"I'd rather get frost bite then be in a truck with a sadistic prick!" Kate said smartly as her, Tony and McGee took a well-known short cut that lead to the main road by taking a path below the bridge.

"Get in the truck that's an order!" He bellowed, getting annoyed at the circumstances. He hit his palm to his forehead when he realized that that wasn't one of his smartest ideas.

"Take that order and shove it Gibbs," Tony said from bellow the bridge. Once they were away from his sight Kate sat down on the curb and the tears came freely, there was nothing she could do to stop them.

Tony set his pack down and brought Kate in his arms and hugged her tightly. While McGee left them some space as he went to go call Abby for a ride.

"Why Tony, why do I let him get to me like that?" she cried hard on his shoulder as the wind picked he hair was blown in her face beneath the red toque she was wearing and the end of her scarf dancing in the window like Tony's.

"You had all the right to do what you did Katie, he kept something vital from you because he thought it would cloud you judgment, but what you have to understand is that Gibbs isn't the best at showing emotions and taking other peoples emotion at heart," He held her tightly as her tears slowly dissipated into hiccups.

"Normally I would understand why he did it Tony but doing something so low as not tell me that my 5 year old niece is in the hands of a kidnapper doesn't really brighten a relationship," She wrapped her arms around his waist and he opened his coat to give them body heat as he enveloped her in his jacket.

"I know Katie," he said as he leaned his head against hers and smoothed down her hair.

He turned towards McGee and spoke to him quietly. "When's Abby on her way?"

"She should be here in less then 2 minutes since she has your car," he said them his lips as well as Kate turned upward.

Kate let out a little giggle as his mouth twitched and eyes widened.

"Sh…she took m...mm...my car!" he muttered in disbelief as he heard to the far right an engine roar down the road.

All their heads turned towards the sound and Tony's face dropped as the once blurry form turned out to be his red 93' mustang that came careening down the speedway and came to a screeching halt in front of them.

A girl in gothic clothing made her way by scuffling towards Kate who was still in Tony's arms.

"Oh Kate what's wrong? Did Tony do something again? He went through your purse again didn't he I told him yesterday that he shouldn't but I never thought he would do it again," she said apparently not noticing Tony's cut-throat gestures he was giving her.

He could feel Kate stiffen in his hold and he went rigid when he slowly saw her head lift up from his chest.

"It has nothing to do with that Abs but thank you for telling me I'll deal with this little slip up later," she said in a very icy manner as they all got in the car, and with Tony driving her with precious care they made their way to NCIS.

They all got onto the elevator and decided to the course of action they would take to get Kate's niece back.

"I can call the school and figure out the bus route and number," Tony said as he leaned against the door.

"When you find the route I can enter it in the database and locate the transportation by satellite," McGee put in as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and pressed '7'.

"I can look up the bus driver's background and find out a location," Kate added as she peeled off her coat and un-slung her scarf from her neck.

"Don't worry Kate, we'll find Chrissy," Abby said as she hung her arm across Kate's shoulders.

When the elevator stopped at their floor they all got in a line and left the metal box and marched over to their desk and began to work mechanically. Completely unaware of Gibbs and The Director talking in hushed voices above them on the ledge.

"You screwed up big time Jethro," Jenny Shepard said as she laced her hands on the rail and looked down at the Agents doing their jobs in a flurry of energy.

"I realize that Jenny," he said as he pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes tightly.

"What do you intend to do about it?" she inquired as she rested her hands on her chin and looked at him in a way a mother would to a child she was teaching a lesson to.

"I haven't the slightest idea Jenny, in fact I think what I have done is irreparable," he said lamely as he looked down and watched Kate talk on the phone and write things down on her Palm Pilot then switching to her computer.

"It's not too late to apologize, I know it's not your style, but it really helps, you should try it," she suggested as she made her way down the stairs and joined the Agents in the Bullpen and she listened to them one by one tell her what they had learn so far and what they intended to do next.

"I called the school and requested the files for the bus driver, they're sending the file over by fax, we should be receiving it in a few minutes," Kate said as she scrolled down the web site of the school. "The school's a very prestige private school called 'Honeycomb Elementary', very expensive and a lot of kids in which their parents have a very big expense rate," she finished off as she made her way over to the fax machine directly behind Gibbs's desk and placed her hand behind the printing paper in hopping that this gesture of impatience would hopefully give it the message to speed things up.

"I also phoned the school and found out that the school bus number is 357 and the route is Route 67, McGee's going through the NASA Satellite Program as we speak," Tony finished as he too went over to the fax machine and waited for the paper of all the kids's name that rode that bus.

"I frequented the program and I'm just placing in the coordinates into the software as we speak Madam Director," McGee said as he hit the keys robotically on the keyboard and resumed clicking away on the mouse at the same time.

"I clearly see you have everything under control and there is no need for me to badger you, but there is one matter I mean to discuss with you," she said as she sat at the corner of Kate's desk her ankles and arms crossed.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and all gathered in the middle of them room; Kate with PDA in hand, Tony with papers in his hands and McGee with a headphones meant for communication hanging around his neck.

"A situation was brought up to me by an Agent such as yourselves and I think it would be healthy both personally and professionally if we set it on the back burner and focus on the case," she said as she straightened up and Gibbs walked down the stairs looking at his agents one by one: Kate had an evil sneer over her delicate face, Tony folded his arms over his chest in a matter to say he wasn't impressed and McGee stared at Gibbs walking down the stairs with not too nice scenarios running through his mind.

"Special Agent Gibbs has something he wished to tell you all," Jenny Shepard said as she stepped out of the way to let Gibbs step it.

"You know I'm not the best at apologizing, hell my way of apologizing is a round at the firing range, so please hear me out first then you can fire me back with everything you've got." Gibbs started as he regarded each of his agents one by one. At least they were listening to him, he hadn't expected that much, so he'd take as much as he could get. "I understand your angers against me, hell I would probably be the same way you are, anyway leaving the excuses behind I apologize for my childish and heartless behavior and ask of you a favor, put up with the bastard just a little longer…please," he finished and regarded his team again; this time their expressions softened all except for Kate; for some reason she only seemed to worsen.

McGee approached Gibbs timidly but at the same time his demeanor was greatly mature.

"Black in your coffee?" he asked with a small smile of forgiveness, but still held a little hostile look in his eyes.

Gibbs looked at him in a new way, he was the newest member of the team and he was also the first one to forgive him instead of his older Agents.

"I appreciate it Tim," he said as clapped him on the shoulder as McGee turned towards the elevator to leave for the coffee shop.

Tony turned his head to his right where Kate stood and he could still feel the heat of rage radiating off of her, but the boss man was right this had to go on the back burner for Chrissy's sake. Taking one step at a time he made his way over to Gibbs and lifted his boss's hand and clipped his own head.

"Sometimes you can be a bastard Gibbs, but most of the time you're our friend and friends forgive each other," He squeezed his shoulder briefly and returned to his desk.

Gibbs looked towards Kate almost in a shamed matter as he took the initiative step forward. Once they were nose to nose he sighed and placed carefully placed both his hands on her shoulders.

"I owe you the biggest apology of all Katie, you put your trust in me and I rolled it up in a ball and threw it out the window, for that I am incredibly sorry and understand if it takes you awhile to fully put this behind you, but please let me help you find your niece, please," His voice was low and filled with empathy towards her.

Kate's eyes were shut tight as small tears trailed down her cheeks and sloped down to her lips.

In a swift motion she brought her hand up and slapped Gibbs across the face angrily, from the shock of the gesture Gibbs head turned and his hand went automatically to his cheek where a red imprint was already setting on to his skin.

"You're such a bastard!" she exclaimed as she went over to her desk and scooped up her computer and headed to the elevator in a huff of tears and fury.

"What did I say?" Gibbs hollered at The Director who had her face in her left hand and shaking it from side to side indicating he did something wrong.

"You don't tell the person you owe the biggest apology to put it behind her, you just don't say that, what you did to Kate was inexcusable and the best you could come up with is 'put it behind you'!" she said blown away by the moment, she stood up and veered the corner to head to her office; her head still shaking in a not too impressed demeanor.

Gibbs took a chance to look at Tony was pretending to busy himself by going through the children's files and bringing it up to the big screen behind him and studying it.

Gibbs sighed and ran a hand through his silver hair discouraged.

"Alright DiNozzo just say it, I know you're itching to hit me while I'm down here's your chance," he said in a give up manner.

Tony put down his file and walked over to his boss and stared at him for a bit them resumed what he was doing.

"You can't really expect Kate to fully forgive you Gibbs; it's not in their nature to let something like this slip." He clicked a button on the screen and re-read over the bus driver's background. "Guys will hit each other on the back, go out for a couple of beers and put it all behind them like it was yesterdays NFL game, women on the other take great care in forgiveness, they take their time, moll things over a bit, reconsider the suspects behavior and try and find other things they're faulty for to be even more mad at them, it's what they do," Gibbs looked at him in a blown away manner; for someone who usually spends all his time hunting skirts, he sure had a way to pull the carpet from under your feet at the most unexpected moments.

Gibbs sighed again and flapped his arms to his side in means of saying 'now what?'

"What do you propose I do then?" he asked taking a seat behind his computer.

"Well for starters you can give her some space, just get through the situation at hand and help us find those kids and bring them back to safety, then you can worry about Kate,"

**Author's Note: **_I thought it would be appropriate to make DiNozzo deliver advice in his field of profession to his fearless yet oblivious leader, what did you think, tell me your thoughts; constructive criticism welcomed. R&R -xox- _


End file.
